Plain and rib circular knitting machine



June 26,1956 B. LEBOCEY 2,751,768

PLAIN AND RIB CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 27, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 I/WfA TOR ZERIVARD LEBocEr ZVM ATTOIQ/VE) June 26, 1956 B. LEBOCEY PLAIN AND RIB CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 27, 1951 Fig.1].

I/VVEA/TOR fKf/AKD Lsaoczr ATTOKAE) June 26, 1956 B. LEBOCEY 2,751,768

PLAIN AND RIB CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 27. 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet s lm/z/vrok EEK/VA m Amer ATTQK/VE/ June 26, 1956 B. LEBOCEY PLAIN AND RIB CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec. 27, 1951 Fig .10.

ZWVfITaK EEK/YA AP Liam/es) Arr/matey June 26, 1956 B. LEBOCEY 2,

PLAIN AND RIB CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 27, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fig.12.

I/VVE/VTOK firm/4R0 1550mm BY O/PIE) llnited States Fatent PLAIN AND RIB CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE Bernard Lebocey, Troyes, France Application December. 27,1951, Serial No. 263,604 Claims priority,,appiication France December 28, 1950 10 Claims. (CI. 6.6-28) My invention relates to a high speed circular knitting machine for the manufacture of knitwork tubes spinning downward in the machine coaxial therewith.

A first object of my invention is to design a circular knitting machine in which a perfect centering of the rotary elements actuating the various parts of the machine is ensured.

A further object of my invention is to provide a circular knitting machine that can be run either at high speed for production purposes or at slow' speed for inspection purposes, notably, when working needles have to be restored to normal position.

A further object of my invention is to design a circular knitting machine which isprovided with a knitworkstretching mechanism adapted, by acting upon the inside of the tubular knitwork all around the circumference of the same, to subject the tubular knitwork' to a peripherally uniform downward pull;

Still a further object of my invention is to design a circular knitting machine provided with a cradle arranged below the machine and adapted to catch the roll of tubular knitwork pending the removal of the same.

A preferred embodiment of my invention will be described hereinafter with reference to the drawings appended hereto in which:

Fig. l is an elevational view of the machine, parts being shown in section through the axis of the same;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged bottom plan view of a detail of the slow-running control device;

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 diagrammatically show how the tubular knitwork is stretched in conventional machines and an objectionable action is exerted upon it for want of the knitwork-stretching mechanism according to my invention;

Figs. 6 and 7 are detail views of said knitwork-stretching mechanism;

Figs. 8 and 9 are. explanatory diagrams relating to the working of the knitwork-stretching mechanism;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged axial section of the knitworkstretching mechanism;

Fig. 11 is an enlarged sectional view of the assemblage of the frame structure; and

Figs. 12 through 17' are different diagrammatic views of the device for receiving the rolls of knitted material.

By way of example, the frame structure of the new circular high revolving speed knitting machine consists of the accurately concentric and fool-proof assembly of three superposed unitary frame portions.

The first or lower frame portion or pedestal consists of four cast, non-machined legs 1 interconnected by an upper ring member 2. The second or intermediate frame portion comprises a lower ring member 8 connected through brace members 3 to an upper ring member 9 of the frame portion. The third or top frame portion comprises a lower ring member 18, side brace. members 5 and an upper spider 6.

i The assembling of ring member 2 with'ring member 8 and/or the assembling of ring member 9 with ring 2,751,768 Patented June 26, 1956 ice 2.- member 10 may be efiected, as indicated in Fig. 11, by fitting, in both ring member assemblies, annular members 11 of the machine proper and passing a bolt 68 therethrough.

With this arrangement, the time required for machining and assembling the parts is reduced considerably' and the centering of these parts is rapid, accurate and fool-proof.

A ring member, constituted by the rigid assemblage of an annulus 13 with a spur ring 12 having teeth 64, is rotatably supported in an annular memberll and carries, a knitwork take-up device. Preferably, the machine includes a protectivecasing 15-for the ring member. A further spur ring 14, having teeth 65, is rigid with a vertical annular guide 17 shielded by a ring 19 rigid with a further annular member 11, and isrotatably supported in said annular member 11; and the space between the annular guide 17 and the ring shield 19 constitutes the housing of a vertical needle bed 16. A fixed shaft 23 rigidly mounted in the upper portion 67 of the third frame element extends downward coaxial with respect to the annular members 11, and a sleeve 21 havinga running fit on said fixed shaft 23 is rigid with a disc which carries a horizontal bed of needles 22, and with a spur wheel 29, having teeth 66.

The spur wheel 20 and the spurring 14- aredriven at equal speeds respectively by pinions 27, 28 which mesh with the respective teeth 66, onspur wheel 20 and spur ring 14. The pinions: 27 and 28 are keyed on a common vertical main driving shaft 26' rotatably mounted in the third. frame element and projecting with its lower end in, the second frame element. Connected to the lower end of shaft 26 is aflexibl'e extension substantially coaxial therewith and comprising an intermediate shaft whose upper end is connected to shaft 26 through a universal joint 24 and whose lower end: is connected through a further universal joint 25 with. the shaft of a pinion 29 rotatably mounted invthe. second frame element, said pinion meshing with the, teeth. 64 of the spur ring 12. In this manner, the ring member composed of the spur ring 12 and the annulus 13 is driven by the shaft 26 at the same angular speed as the spur ring 114 and the spur-wheel 20.

The driving shaft 26 is rotated at high speed by the shaft of a main motor 31 through belts 30. An auxil iary low-power motor 32 has. its: Shaft. extending; atv right, angles to the shaft of the main. motor 31; and. the auxiliary motor shaft is formed at its outer end with a worm 33 which cooperates with the teeth on the outside of the ring 34 of a unidirectional. clutch, which, ring carries pawls 38 urged by springs 37 into engagement with the teeth of a ratchet Wheel 35- keyed on the shaft of the main motor 31 as shown in Fig. 2'. Owing to this arrangement, the knitting machine. can be, run at low speed by the auxiliary motor 3.2 without the drive at high speed by the main motor 31, being interfered with, when the, teeth on the ratchet wheel 35 will escape. the pawls, 38..

The known drawing. device'comprises, two driving cylinders, joined tangentially on either side of the knitwork, which they pull downwardly. Figs. 3, 4 and 5 show schematically how the knitwork, leaving the needles in the shape of a circulartube 36, 39, 40, is squashed and. undesirably flattened following a diametrical plan 43, 44, 45, by the pulling cylinders. 41 and, 42. The result of this deformation of the knitted tube is that the median generatrices are longer and tauter than the folding generatrices, which constitutes a major disadvantage which, heretofore was considered practically unavoidable.

A feature of the present invention resides in the provision, in a tubular knitting machine or the. like, of a take-up device adapted to exert a substantially uniform tension on all generatrices of the. tubular web. being produced by the machine.

According to the present disclosure, this device consists essentially of two peripheral series of small cards (Figs. 6 and 7) arranged for inter-series interdigitation, with each series of cards mounted on a wheel or wobble plate, the two plates being arranged to be 180 out of phase with respect to each other, as shown in Fig. 10. Thus, when a card of one series is moving upwardly, the immediately-flanking cards of the other series are moving downwardly; and, since the pins, teeth or bristles of each card are preferably inclined downwardly and outwardly at their distal ends, as shown in Fig. 7, the ur: wardly-moving cards will not interfere with the normal, permanent downward motion of the web.

As shown, the rod 47 is fixedly secured, as by a nut 48 and a key, to a stationary frame element which may be supported by the tixed shaft 23. A bottom bearing plate 49 is secured to' the rod 47 and supports a friction piece, such as the leather ring 50. A collar having a cam flange 52 is fixed to a bearing plate 6% which frictionally bears upon the ring 50; and said flange is formed,

at its opposite end faces, with oppositely-inclined, annular cam surfaces 53-54, 55-56. Said collar is free for axial movement with respect to the rod 47, and, except for its association with the plate 60 and the frictional engagement of the latter with the bottom plate 49, is free for rotational movement relative to said rod.

A wheel or wobble plate 57 is centered on the rod 47 above the flange 52, through the medium of a spherical race ball bearing 70, and a companion wheel or wobble plate 58 is similarly centered on said rod below the flange 52, through the medium of a similar bearing 70, the inner races of said bearings being sleeved on the upper and lower projections of the collar which carries the flange 52. The wheel 57 is provided with a downwardly projecting hub which bears on the cam surface 5354, and the wheel 58 is provided with an upwardlyprojecting hub which bears on the cam surface 5556. The felloes 71 and 72 of the respective wheels 57 and 58 are formed, respectively, with axially-projecting, peripherally-spaced teeth 46, as indicated in Fig. 8; and the outer face of each such tooth carries a card of the character illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7.

In the operation of the machine, the tubular web produced by the action of the needles 16, 22, flows downwardly along the generatrices ab and cd (Fig. to the region occupied by the wheels 57 and 58. It will be seen that the diameter of each wheel is slightly greater than the normal diameter of the web, so that, as the cards on the wheels engage the web, the latter is slightly peripherally stretched.

Normally, the wheels 57 and 58 are rotationally carried along with the web because of the engagement of their cards with the work, while the collar bearing the cam flange 52 is held against rotation by the frictional engagement of the bearing'plate 60 with the ring 59 against which it is yieldably pressed by a coiled spring 59. As the wheels rotate relative to the flange 52. they will be caused to wobble oppositely, whereby the righthand portions of the respective wheels, as seen in Fig. 10, will be separated and the left-hand portions will be caused to approach each other.

In Fig. 9, I have diagrammatically illustrated the paths of a tooth m on the wheel 57 and a cooperating, peripherally-adjacent tooth n on the wheel 53 as the wheels turn through one complete revolution relative to the flange 52. At the points m n the cooperating teeth are separated to a maximum degree. At points m 11 the tips of the teeth commonly occupy a median plane between the two wheels. At points m n the cooperating teeth are fully interdigitated; and as the wheels continue to turn, those two teeth will be separated until or pins of the tooth n slide upwardy relative to the work, in a region immediately adjacent that engaged by the bristles of the tooth m, without exerting any substantial force upon the work. As the tooth n moves downwardly during the last half of the cycle, however, its bristles engage the work to exert a downward pull thereon, while the bristles of the tooth m release the work as the tooth m returns to its uppermost position. i

In other words, as any tooth of either wheel moves upwardly, the teeth of the other wheel which lie on either side of that tooth, and with which that tooth interdigitates, will be concurrently moving downward to exert a downward tension upon the Web in regions closely flanking the region of the web which contacts the upwardlymoving tooth. Thus, a substantially uniform, downward tension is constantly exerted upon the complete periphcry of the web, during normal operation of the machine.

The tension-exerting mechanism above described is so proportioned and designed that the downward movement of each card-carrying tooth will be at a velocity substantially equal to, but never less than, the rate at which the web is formed and discharged downwardly from the needle beds. It the downward velocity of such teeth should, at any time, exceed such rate of discharge for'any appreciable period, the assembly consisting of the wheels 57 and 58, the bearings70, the collar which carries the flange 52, and the bearing plate 60 will tend to climb the tubular web. It will be clear that this assembly is ree so to climb, being resisted in that tendency only by its own weight and by the downward pressure exerted upon the assembly by the spring 59. Thereby, and as a result of a very slight degree of upward movement, the

frictional engagement between the bearing plate 60 and the ring 56 will be released to permit rotation of the entire assembly,.whereby the wobble action of the wheels 57 and 58 will be temporarily interrupted. The assembly will continue, however, in that condition, to exert a substantially uniform downward tension upon the work throughout its periphery, since the weight of the assembly and the forceof the spring 59 will be suspended from the tubular web. 3 e

As the web continues to descend, through normal action of the knitting mechanism, the frictional engagement between the bearing plate 60 and the ring 50 will be reestablished to restart the wobble. action of the wheels 57 and 58. a

After having been drawn off as described hereinabove, the fabric produced will be wound up on a shaft formed with a square sectioned end 61, as illustrated in Fig. 16.

The fabric wound up on this shaft forms a cylinder disposed beneath the frame (see Figs. 14, 15 and 17 in machines of known types, the shaft 63.. may be removed and the roll of knit material falls onto the floor by one inch or so, in a position diflicult to get at by the operator;

The present invention provides, by way of example, a semi-cylindrical sheet metal support 62 (Figs. 12 through 15) carried by the machine and fitted beneath the roll of tubular material.

Once the. knitwork roll has grown to full size, it is only necessary to pull out the shaft 61, .whereby the roll will be lowered, by one inch or so, into the trough 62. -A blocker bar 69, may be removably mounted on the frame supported from the annulus l3 and may carry a bearing for one end of the shaft 61. As shown in Fig. 12, said trough 62 runs on a pair of slideways 63, so that it is only necessary to pull it out of the frame, to gether with the knitwork roll therein, and to take it up without its having come into contact with the ground. In the arrangement illustrated in Fig. 13, the trough is fixedin its'position below the machine. In order to remove the knitwork roll 74, it is only necessary then with ones hand at 73 to slide it out of the trough 62 while keeping ones opposite hand ready to receive the roll as it slips out of the trough.

agar-pee What I claim:

1. A high-speed circular knitting machine for the production of knitwork tubes spinning downwards in the machine coaxial therewith which comprises a vertically extending pedestal having a circular top end: a first annular member boxed in the circular top end of the pedestal; an intermediate frame portion with a circular bottom end fitted on said annular member; means rigidly interconnecting the top end of the pedestal, the annular memher and the bottom end of the intermediate frame portion, said intermediate frame portion having a circular top and coaxial with its bottom end; a second annular member boxed in the top end of the intermediate frame portion; a top frame portion having its bottom end fitted on the top end of said second annular member; means to rigidly interconnect the top end of the intermediate frame portion, said second annular member and the bottom end of the top frame portion; a fixed shaft rigid with the top frame portion extending downwards coaxial with said annular members; a first spur ring having a running fit in the first annular member; a second spur ring having a running fit in the second annular member; a sleeve having a running fit on the fixed shaft within the top frame portion; a spur wheel keyed on said sleeve; a vertical main shaft mounted in the top frame portion, extending into the intermediate frame portion and provided at its lower end with a flexible extension; a first pinion having its shaft mounted in. the intermediate frame portion and its upper end coupled with the lower end of said flexible extension, said pinion meshing with the first spur ring; a second pinion keyed on the main shaft and meshing with the second spur ring; a third pinion keyed likewise on the main shaft and meshing with the spur wheel; means to drive said main shaft at high speed and at low speed as desired; a horizontal disc rigid with said sleeve; a set of needles arranged in ahorizontal bed on the disc; 2. vertical annular guide rigid with the second spur ring; a further set of needles arranged in a. vertical bed against the annular guide; a knitwork-stretching mechanism actuated by the rotation of the knitwork tube adapted to exert from the inside of the same a downward pull thereon which is uniform throughout its circumference; a knitwork take-up mechanism actuated by the first spur ring and means in the bottom of the pedestal to receive the roll of tubular knitwork.

2. A high-speed circular knitting machine for the production of knitwork tubes spinning downwards in the machine coaxial therewith which comprises a vertically extending pedestal having a circular top end; a first annular member boxed in the circular top end of the pedestal; an intermediate frame portion with a circular bottom end fitted on said annular member; means rigidly interconnecting the top end of the pedestal, the annular member and the bottom end of the intermediate frame portion, said intermediate frame portion having a circular top end coaxial with its bottom. end; a second annular member boxed in the top end of the intermediate frame portion; a top frame portion having its bottom end fitted on the top end of said second annular member; means to rigidly interconnect the top end of the intermediate frame portion, said second annular member and the bottom end of the top frame portion; a fixed shaft rigid with the top end portion extending downwards coaxial with said annular members; a first spur ring having a running fit in the first annular member; a second spur ring having a running fit in the second annular member; a sleeve having a running fit on the. fixed shaft within the top frame portion; a spur wheel keyed on said sleeve; a vertical main shaft mounted in the top frame portion, extending into the intermediate frame portion and provided at its lower end with a universal coupling halt; a depending shaft section provided at its upper end with a universal coupling half cooperating with the one at the lower end of said main shaft and at its lower end with a further coupling half; a first pinion having its shaft mounted in the intermediate frame portion and desired; a' horizontal disc rigid with said sleeve; a set of needles arranged in' a horizontal bed on the disc; a vertical annular guide rigid with the second spur ring; a further set of needles arranged in a vertical bed against the annular guide; a knitwork-stretching mechanism actuated bythe'rotation of the knitwork tube adapted to exert from the inside of the same a downward pull thereon which is uniform throughout its circumference; a knitwork take-up mechanism actuated by the first spur ring and means in the bottom of the pedestal to receive the roll: of tubular knitwork.

3. A high-speed circular knitting machine for the production of knitwork tubes spinning downwards in the machine coaxial therewith which comprises a vertically extendingped'estal having a circular top end; a first annular member boxed in the circular top end of the pedestal; an intermediate frame portion with a circular bottom end fitted in with said annular member; means rigidly interconnecting the top end of the pedestal, the annular member and the bottom end of the intermediate frame portion, said intermediate frame portion having a. circular top endcoaxial with its bottom end; a second annular member boxed in the top end of the intermediate frame portion; a top frame portion having its bottom. end fitted on. the top end of said second annular member; means to rigidly interconnect the top end of the intermediate frame portion, said second. annular member and the bottom end of the top frame portion; a fixed shaft rigid with the top end portion extending downwards coaxial with said annular members; a first spur ring having a running fit in the first annular member; a second spur ring having a running fit in the second annular member; a sleeve having a running fit on the fixed shaft within the top frame portion; a spur wheel keyed on said sleeve; a vertical main shaft mounted in the top frame portion, extending into the intermediate frame portion and provided at its lower end with a flexible extension; a first pinion having its shaft mounted. in the intermediate frame portion and its upper end coupled with the lower end of said flexible shaft, said pinion meshing with the first spur ring; a second pinion keyed on the main shaft and meshing with the second spur ring; a third pinion keyed likewise on the main shaft and meshing with the spur Wheel; a main motor carried by the machine frame and provided with a motor shaft; means between said motor shaft and said main driving shaft to operatively interconnect the same; a one-way coupling including a hub keyed on the main motor shaft and a worm ring; a low-power auxiliary motor having its shaft set at right angles to the main motor shaft; a worm sleeve keyed on the auxiliary motor shaft meshing with the worm on said ring; a horizontal disc rigid with said sleeve; a set of needles arranged in a horizontal bed on the disc; a verti- ,cal annular guide rigid with the second spur ring; a further set of needles arranged in a vertical bed against the annular guide; a knitwork-stretching mechanism actuated by the rotation of the knitwork tube adapted to exert from the inside of the same a downward pull thereon which is uniform throughout its circumference; a knitwork take-11p mechanism actuated by the first spur ring and means in the bottom of the pedestal to receive the roll of tubular knitwork.

4. A high-speed circular knitting machine for the production of knitwork tubes spinning downwards in the machine coaxial therewith which comprises a vertically extending pedestal having a circular top end; a first an nular member boxed in the circular top end of the pedes- 7 tal; an intermediate frame portion with a circular bottom end fitted on said annular member; means rigidly interconnecting the top end of the pedestaLlthe annular member and the bottom end of the intermediate frame portion, said intermediate frame portion having a circular top end coaxial with its bottom end; a second annular member boxed in the top end of the intermediate frame portion; a top frame portion having its bottom end fitted on the top end of said second annular member; means to rigidly interconnect the top end of the intermediate frame portion, said second annular member and the bottom end of the top frame portion; a fixed shaft rigid with the top frame portion extending downwards coaxial with said annular members; a first spurring having a running fit in the first annular member; a second spur ring having a running fit in the second annular member; a sleeve having a running fit on the fixed shaft within the top frame portion; a spur wheel keyed on said sleeve; a vertical main shaft mounted in the top frame portion, extending into the intermediate frame portion and provided at its lower end with a flexible extension; a first pinion having its shaft mounted in the intermediate frame portion and its upper end coupled with the lower end of said flexible shaft, said pinion meshing with the first spur ring; a second pinion keyed on the main shaft and meshing with the second spur ring; a third'pinion keyed likewise on the main shaft and meshing with the spur wheel; means to drive said main shaft at high speed and at low speed as desired; a horizontal disc rigid with said sleeve; a set of needles arranged in a horizontal bed on the disc; a vertical annular guide rigid with the second spur ring; the further set of needles arranged in a vertical bed against the annular guide; a knitwork-stretching mechanism actuated by the rotation of the knitwork tube and acting upon the same from the inside comprising a central rod rigid with one of the frame portions and providing a downwardly projecting extension of the fixed shaft; a fixed bearing plate secured to the lower end of the rod; a friction leather ring rigid with said bearing plate; a flanged collar member mounted for sliding and rotary motion on said rod above the bearing plate; a further bearing plate rigidly secured to the lower end of the flanged collar member, the latter being formed with a disc-like peripheral extension delimited by a pair of respectively upper and lower plane faces equally yet reversedly inclined relative to the axis of the rod, a pair of wheels mounted at either side of and concentric with said flanged collar member and formed with hubs engaging each one of the sides of said peripheral extension; a pair of spherical joints connecting said hubs with said flanged collar member, the wheels being slightly larger in diameter than the diameter of the tubular knitwork around them, cards carried by and uniformly distributed around the rims of the wheels and each card on the one rim being located opposite a gap between two successive cards on the other rim; a spring around the rod rested on one of the frame portions and urging the flanged collar member to squeeze the friction leather ring between the bearing plate rigid with the flanged collar member and the bearing plate rigid with the lower end of the rod; a knitwork take-up mechanism actuated by the first spur ring and means in the bottom of the pedestal to receive the roll of tubular knitwork.

5. A high-speed circular knitting machine for the production of knitwork tubes spinning downwards in the machine coaxial therewith which comprises a vertically extending pedestal having a circular top end; a first annular member boxed in the circular top end of the pedestal; an intermediate frame portion with a circular bottom end fitted on said annular member; means rigidly interconnecting the top end of the pedestal, the annular member and the bottom end of the intermediate frame portion, said intermediate frame portion having a circular top end coaxial with its bottom end; a second annular member boxed in the top end of the intermediate frame portion; a top frame portion having its bottom end fitted on the top end of said second annular member; means to rigidly interconnect the top end of the intermediate frame portion, said second annular member and the bottom end of the top frame portion; a fixed shaft rigid with the top frame portion extending downwards coaxial with said annular members; a first spur ring having a running fit in the first annular member; a second spur ring having a running fit in thesecond annular member; a sleeve having a running fit on the fixed shaft within the top frame portion; a spur wheel keyed on said sleeve; a vertical main shaft mounted in the top frame portion, extending into the intermediate frame portion and provided at its lower end with a flexible extension; a first pinion having its shaft mounted in the intermediate frame portion and its upper end coupled with the lower end of said flexible shaft, said pinion meshing with the first spur ring; a second pinion keyed on the main shaft and meshing with the second spur ring; a third pinion keyed likewise on the main shaft and meshingwith the spur wheel; means to drive said main shaft at high speed and at low speed as desired; a horizontal disc rigid with said sleeve; a set of needles arranged in a horizontal bed on the disc; a vertical annular guide rigid with the second spur ring; a further set of needles arranged in a vertical bed against the annular guide; a'knitwork-stretching mechanism actuated by the rotation of the knitwork tube adapted to exert from the inside of the same a downward pull thereon which is uniform throughout its circumference; a knitwork take-up mechanism actuated by the first spur ring and including a shaft around which the knitwork is wound to a roll, means to detach the shaft with the knitwork roll thereon ready for removal; slideways arranged below said shaft parallel with the same and a trough guided on said slideways into which the knitwork roll is dropped, to be pulled out of the pedestal together with the knitwork roll therein.

6. In a machine of the class described, a verticallyarranged pedestal having a seat formed at 1ts top end, a first member formed to define a circular recess received on said seat, an intermediateframe portion having a seat formed at its bottom end to fit said first member and mating therewith, means rigidly interconnecting said pedestal top with said intermediate frame portion bottom end and retaining said first member fixedly therebetween, said intermediate frame portion having a further seat formed at its top end, a second member received on said further seat, said second member being formed to define a circular recess which; when said second member is received on said further seat, is concentrlc withthe recessof said first member, a top frame portion hav-: ing a seat formed at its bottom end to fit said second member and mating therewith, means rigidly interconnecting said intermediate frame portion top end with said top frame portion bottom end, and retaining sald second member fixedly therebetween, a first spur ring havmg a running fit in the circular recess of said first member, a second spur ring having a running fit in the circular recess of said second member, means for driving said spur rings, and concentrically-related cooperating devices carried, respectively, by said spur rings.

7. The device of claim 6 including a spur wheel mounted in said top frame portion for rotation upon the axis common to the recesses of said first and second members, said means for driving said spur rings comprising a main shaft journalled in said second member and in said top frame portion, a first pinion mounted on said shaft and meshing with said spur wheel, a second pinion mounted on said shaft and meshing with said second spur ring, a third pinion meshing with said first spur ring, and flexible means connecting said shaft to drive said third pinion.

8. In a circular knitting machine including two cooperating sets of needles and means for operating the same to produce a continuous, tubular web of knit-work retreating from said needles while rotating substantially about the axis of said tubular Web, means for exerting upon said web a substantially-continuous, peripherallysubstantially-uniform, tensile stress in a direction away 9 from said needles, comprising a rod substantially coaxial with said web and surrounded by said web, a cam element on said rod, means normally restraining said cam element against rotation relative to said rod, said cam element being formed to provide oppositely-directed, annular cam faces, oppositely and substantially equally inclined relative to said rod axis, a pair of Wheels mounted for free rotation and transaxial rocking movement about the axis of said rod, said wheels being separated by said cam element and cooperatively engaging, respectively, said cam faces of said cam element, and a series of peripherally-spaced Web-engaging devices carried upon the periphery of each of said wheels, the web-engaging devices of one wheel being arranged for interdigitation with the web-engaging devices of the other wheel.

9. The device of claim 8 in which said means normally restraining said cam element comprises means fixed with respect to said rod, and means rotationally fixed relative to said cam element and yieldably urged into frictional engagement with said means fixed With respect to said rod.

10. The device of claim 8 in which said cam element is axially movable relative to said rod, said means normally restraining said cam element comprising a member fixedly carried by said rod adjacent the wheel more remote from said needles, means rotationally fixed relative to said cam element and projecting toward said member, and means yieldably urging said cam element and said rotationally-fixed means toward said member, said rotationally-fixed means and said member, when engaged with each other, cooperating to restrain said rotationallyfixed means against rotation relative to said rod.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 423,079 Pike Mar. 11, 1890 920,671 Scott et al. May 4, 1909 1,638,955 Perry Aug. 16, 1927 2,017,082 Warren Oct. 15, 1935 2,345,698 Bromley et al. Apr. 4, 1944 2,429,674 Dickno Oct. 28, 1947 2,531,044 Hibbert et al Nov. 21, 1950 2,582,392 Pelce Jan. 15, 1952 2,673,316 Doeg et al Mar. 23, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 533,059 Germany Sept. 8, 1931 

